Genre: Fiction (Part Adventure, somewhat of a romance) (Talking cats)Rating: K (Ages 10 and up, I believe)All inspiration goes to the Erin Hunters_______________This is the story of Nightclaw, who is wrongfully exiled by her leader, Rainstar, for supposedly killing her only brother and link to her long-lost parents, Raventalon. She is forced to flee, but loses her memory after fighting a dog just barely outside the hearing range of the ThunderClan cats. Her friend, Darkfur, follows after her, and convinces her that she was a rogue. The twosome travel for a while, and meet a rogue named Willow, who join the couple. Throughout the story, Nightclaw (referred to as Night in most of the story) and Darkfur (referred to as Darkie in most of the story) develop an intense relationship between each other. They meet a band of rogues who came from a faraway Clan called SeaClan that was devastated by diseases and war with badgers and foxes, and Night regains her memory and becomes leader of SkullClan. All she wants now is revenge, and leads her new Clan through the forests and towns, back to the lake area that the four Clans of old were.

Pretty much, a story of how a cat was wronged, lost her memory, and who comes back to avenge herself._______________

Rainstar hissed, "You've dared to murder your own Clanmate?" Nightclaw, shocked, meowed, "I didn't! You know it, Rainstar! You know I didn't kill Raventalon!" Rainstar hissed, "And do you think I believe you? No! You were the one last seen with Raventalon. After you came in, the moonhigh patrol found his body where he was with you. Explain that." Nightclaw thought, I didn't do anything! She meowed out loud, "I really didn't kill him. Please! Raventalon wasn't just my Clanmate, you know that! He was my brother!" Rainstar meowed coldly, "And that's why you killed him, Nightclaw. You thought he was better than you, so you killed him to try to increase your chances of becoming deputy. Am I right?" Nightclaw meowed, "I didn't do it. I'm innocent!" Rainstar yowled, "Cats of ThunderClan! This cat will not speak the truth when we know what happened! I will therefore banish her-" A yowl came from the camp entrance, "You're not banishing my daughter!" Rainstar looked to the entrance, and saw a slender gray she-cat come up. Rainstar dipped her head in respect, calling out, "Willowstar. We were just about to banish your daughter from my Clan. You are the WindClan leader. I am the ThunderClan leader. You gave your children to me, so that they didn't have to starve. I do whatever I want to do with her. Your son is dead, by your own daughter's paws. And you are in my territory. So I suggest you leave here or I will have to have a couple warriors chase you back to your own territory." Willowstar looked desperate, "I only did it for them! They... Oh, all right. Nightclaw, I know you must be shocked, but well, I am your mother. You are WindClan by birth." Nightclaw blinked in shock. She thought, Oh great StarClan! This can't be happening! She meowed, "Well, mother, I have something to tell you. I never killed my brother. Someone's framed me. And, Rainstar, don't expect me to come back to this Clan. Ever," she stalked out of the camp that she had known since she could remember. As she went, she turned back and meowed to Willowstar, "And Willowstar, I'm not going to your Clan either. You abandoned me. Now I abandon you." With that, she disappeared into the cover of trees.

Meanwhile, back in camp, Darkfur, Nightclaw's best friend, yowled in discontent, "You didn't just banish Nightclaw, did you?" Rainstar looked at her deputy's son, and meowed, "Yes. And?" Darkfur's hackles rose as he meowed, "Then I must leave too. This isn't my Clan if you banish innocent cats from here." With that, he stalked away as well.

Nightclaw hid behind a tree as she sensed Darkfur's movements. Darkfur called out, "Nightclaw? Are you here?" Nightclaw came out and hissed, "What do you want?" Darkfur meowed, "I'm joining. You know, I turned my back on my birth Clan, just for you." Nightclaw meowed, "You didn't have to, Darkfur. It's my problem, not yours. I'll just..." She suddenly smelled a scent so dark that she jumped up in shock, and screeched, "It's a dog! On ThunderClan territory!" Darkfur meowed, "What are we going to do?" Nightclaw looked at Darkfur, "What are we going to do? I'm fighting the dog. You go back to the Clan and stay there. I don't really want to live anymore. So I do one thing noble: I'm taking a dog's life along with mine." Darkfur meowed, "No!" Nightclaw was determined to kill the dog that threatened her beloved Clan. She thought as she ran, Please! Lend me the strength I need to defeat the dog. This once, StarClan, before I can join my ancestors... She then lunged out at the dog that ran at her. Darkfur meowed, "Wait!" but it was too late. Black fur met brown, as Nightclaw slashed at the massive dog. The dog howled in pain as Nightclaw's claws dug into its back. The dog, however, did not run away, like the dogs around their territory, but, rather, tried to bite into Nightclaw's throat. The agile black she-cat dodged the attack but was hit by a blunt paw on her right shoulder. She winced as she felt the blow, but did not stop. She held on to her adversary as the dog began to shake itself in order to try to loosen Nightclaw's hold on it. Nightclaw was finally thrown off the dog when it shook itself particularly fiercely, and she landed on her back. She screeched in pain, but got up. She went out at the dog, noticing the falls with grim satisfaction. Nightclaw drove the dog onto the cliffs, and, with a mighty push, she pushed the dog into the falls below. The dog, however, flipped around and bit into the black she-cat's shoulder and landed, still, on firm ground. Nightclaw winced with pain, but shook off the pain away quickly, and went in for the kill. Darkfur meowed, "No! Nightclaw! I'll help you! You need my help!" He rushed into the battle with a fearsome war cry, and bit into the dog's stinking flesh. He heard bones crunching as the dog howled in pain, and then realized with horror that the dog could have crushed Nightclaw. When he looked, Nightclaw looked back at him. Nightclaw screeched, "For my honor! And for my Clan's honor!" She intercepted Darkfur and then lunged out at the dog, who then staggered back. even more away from the falls. Nightclaw, already exhausted because of all the wounds she had received, panted heavily as she bit into the dog's neck. The dog howled in pain as blood began to flow from the wound freely. The dog knew he was dying. He knew he had to attack the annoying cat one last time, so he shook himself violently until the black cat freed her jaws from his neck. Then the massive dog gave a mighty howl and flung the cat with the last of his strength. He lay there, on the ground, slowly dying. Nightclaw gasped as she was flung from the dog's neck. She landed heavily onto the ground, so that the wind was knocked out of her. She also felt too dizzy to move, so she lay there, panting. Then she knew no more...

Darkfur approached the dog carefully. He could see that it was dead. He then looked at where Nightclaw lay, and gasped. She was covered in all sorts of wounds, and there was one running down from her left ear to her jaws. He tenderly lifted his best friend's inert form and dragged her limp form to a sheltered area in the forest.

Chapter 2

Nightclaw heard a faint mew, "Are you all right? Wake up!" She stirred, and got up. She groaned as pain shot up her head. She lay down again, in pain. Darkfur meowed, shocked, "You're awake! Are you all right?" Nightclaw mewed quietly, "I...I think so... W...where am I? I don't recall being here before..." Darkfur meowed, "You attacked that dog! And killed t! Come on, night..." Nightclaw interrupted, "A dog?! What... what's my name? Ugh! I can't recall anything right now." Darkfur knew that his friend had been hit in the head too much, and that she was suffering from amnesia. He decided that, since Nightclaw hated ThunderClan now, that he and she be rogues. He meowed, "Night! It is I, Darkie. Don't you remember me? I'm your best friend!" Nightclaw whispered, "So... My name is Night?" Darkfur, or Darkie, as Nightclaw knew him now, answered, "Yes. We just got here and there were these cats... and they refused to take us in. So we were going to another place when that dog attacked."

Night woke up the next morning, and then she noticed that Darkie was already up and about. She meowed, "Darkie? What are you doing?" Darkie answered, "Well, we can move now. The morning patrol is gone." The black she-cat (Night) wondered where Darkie could've gotten the knowledge, but she shrugged it off. She then meowed, "When will we stop?" Darkie meowed, as they walked over a hill, "I don't know. We need to find shelter first, though." Night sighed, and meowed, "All right, but can I hunt first?" Darkie sighed and mewed, "All right. But we have to do it fast. We could have dogs chasing us at any second." The black she-cat meowed, "All right," and disappeared into the relatively safe forest.

Night found a squirrel, nibbling on an acorn, and began to stalk the creature. She found that the technique that she was using wasn't familiar to her, but it felt comfortable. She silently crouched, and then sprang at the busy-tailed creature. It saw her at the last moment, and tried to run, but it wasn't fast enough. Night caught the squirrel, and she gave a sharp bite to its neck, instantly killing it. She started to eat it up hungrily. Darkie saw this from afar, wondering if he should stop her from doing that, as he remembered that, according to the warrior code, cats weren't allowed to eat until kits, elders, and queens are fed first. He started to gesture to Night, when he realized, with a pang, that they were rogues now. Darkie smiled sadly and then saw, with the corner of his eyes, a mouse scuttling away near the roots of a tree. He silently stalked the tiny mouse, until it began to nibble on the seed it had found unsuspectingly, and then he gave a mighty cry and jumped on it. The mouse only had time to scream, as Darkie dispatched it with a sharp bite to its spine. He hesitated, thinking, Should I give thanks to StarClan? After a few moments, he shrugged, and meowed, "Thank you, StarClan, for this piece of fresh-kill. I will only take from it what I need." He then ate the tiny morsel with a few hungry bites. He looked up to see Night standing over her. The black she-cat meowed, "When are we going to sleep? I'm tired, Darkie." Darkie meowed, "Um... I think we can find a tree with a hole in it or something, at its base, where we can take shelter." Night nodded, and then the two of them started to walk again.

When they had walked more, they began to see mountains, and Night hurriedly asked Darkie, "Remember that tree hole we passed earlier? That's at least a place to shelter. Let's go there." Darkie hesitated, but he felt tired too, so he meowed, "Very well," and they started to walk back. Night meowed, "What's on your mind? I see you thinking so much, Darkie. It's okay to tell me, you know." Darkie meowed, "If I told you everything, you're not going to believe me, and so I'll tell you later. I do promise though, I'll tell it to you." Night woke up from her sleep, to find sunlight streaming from the opening. She stretched and yawned and looked around. Darkie was nowhere to be seen. She shrugged and went outside, only to be greeted by a hiss, "Stay back, Night!" The black she-cat backed off as she saw that Darkie was wrestling a cat. Night then meowed, "Who's that?" Darkie grunted, and meowed, "I don't know, but he thinks that we took over his den." The cat on the ground spat, "I'm Willow and you've got MY den! I want that den back!" Night meowed calmly, "You could have it back. We're leaving soon anyway." Willow's amber eyes shone with surprise as he mewed, "Why not stay in the area? Prey's plentiful here. The mountains are harsh, and there are weird groups of cats at the lake over there," he pointed to the direction from where they had come from. Night meowed, "We are heading to the mountains, because we came from the lake. You're right; the Clan cats are a bit odd." Darkie, at her side, didn't say anything, until a few moments had passed, and he meowed, "How about you joining us? It will be fun." Night meowed, "Yes, I think it'd be wonderful to have another traveling companion." Willow thought for a moment, and then meowed, "All right, then. I'll go with you, if you promise me that the way there will be treacherous and hard, and full of battles. I like battles, and challenges." Night meowed, "All right, then, welcome to our group." Darkie added, "I'm sure we'll run into some hostile rogues once we are up in the mountains." Willow meowed, "Exactly. Hey, are you guys going to come back here someday?" Darkie meowed immediately, "No!" but Night meowed, "Why not, Darkie? We could bring a whole group of cats and drive the Clans out!" Darkie meowed, thoughtful, "Hm, that is not a bad idea." The three cats started to walk toward the bare rocks and high cliffs of the mountains.

Chapter 3

Night meowed, "So, this is the mountains! It's huge!" The black she-cat stared at the high peaks of the purple-hued mountains. Willow and Darkie stared in awe as well, watching the mountains with wide eyes. After a few moments, Night meowed, "What are we going to do now?" Darkie meowed, "Shelter, and then food. Then look for any cats." Night nodded and looked at Willow, who nodded as well. They looked around for a shelter, until they found a cozy-looking cave with a waterfall near it. A cat came out and hissed, "Who are you? Why are you trespassing onto the Tribe of Rushing Water's territory?" Darkie meowed calmly, "We are just in need of shelter. We've come here to take some rest. We're moving on." The Tribe cat meowed, "What are your names?" Night meowed, "I'm Night, that's Darkie, my best friend and constant companion, and this is Willow, a traveling companion Darkie and I found a while back." The Tribe cat mewed cautiously, "I am Moonlight that Shines Brightly, a cave-guard of the Tribe of Rushing Waters. I will escort you to our leader, the Teller of the Pointed Stones. Follow me." Night mewed to Darkie, "Can we trust him?" Darkie nodded, and mewed, "We have to. He'll get his whole group to attack if we don't." Willow looked rather happy that he was faced with a crisis, and followed in after the Tribe cat.

Stoneteller was a dark gray she-cat with piercing blue eyes. She watched the rogues' entrance with rapt attention. She then came to Moonlight, and meowed, "Thank you. You may go back." The black tom dipped his head in respect and darted out of the room. The dark gray she-cat meowed, "You are the ones who came from the lake?" A black she-cat meowed, "Yes, yes we did." She sounded surprised. A dark brown tabby tom next to her meowed, "How did you know?" Stoneteller meowed, "I knew because the Tribe of Endless Hunting told me through our stones. I am called the Teller of the Pointed Stones, because I read omens and commands from the Tribe of Endless Hunting through the rocks of our cave. I had a dark omen for a cat named Night." The black she-cat who had spoken up first meowed, "For me?" Stoneteller nodded and meowed, “A dark path awaits you. With the heart of a lion, you must journey until your heart will forgive the ones who have wronged you." Night meowed, "And what would that mean?" Stoneteller shook her head and meowed, "It is the will of my ancestors that the meaning will come to you eventually. I do not know the answer to it." Night meowed, "All right. We've heard your omen. Can we shelter here for the night?" Willow nodded and meowed, "We'll hunt for ourselves, if you want us to." Darkie meowed, "Yes, please. We've been traveling for a long time." Stoneteller meowed, "Yes, by all means, please stay here." She called out, "Sparrow!" A small brown tabby tom came into view and meowed, "Yes, Stoneteller?" Stoneteller meowed, "This is Sparrow that Flies South. He will show you where you can stay. And we can arrange for the hunts." Darkie meowed, "Thank you." The scrawny brown tom nodded and led the cats into a chamber. Several cats were staring at the three strangers, but they didn't say anything to them. When they got to the cave, Sparrow meowed, "A friend of mine named Trout that Swims Freely will be here with the prey. She's a to-be, working to be a prey-hunter, while I'm working to be a cave guard."

Night fell asleep, with scattered images of a mottled gray she-cat and a dark gray tom. She could hear someone scream, "No! No! Save me, Nightclaw! Save me!" She heard herself say, "Where are you?" She woke up, sweat trickling from her face. Darkie sat near her, worried. Darkie meowed, "There's nothing to worry about, Night. We're safe. And look, as promised, Trout's brought us some fresh-kill for us. Do you want some?" Night nodded gratefully, taking a small chaffinch from the pile and started to munch on it. Willow was watching Night and Darkie with a suspicious gaze. He meowed, "She was screaming, 'Rainstar! Rainstar!' That sounds a bit odd for a cat's name." Night meowed, "What's going on? Who's Rainstar?" Darkie stiffened and meowed, "It's no one you need to know about. It's interesting..." Willow interrupted, "Um, can we get to sleep? I'm tired." Darkie meowed, "It'll all be right. I promise, Night."

Night and Darkie were still asleep when Willow woke up. He sensed that there was something between the two cats; something that he couldn't yet understand, and so, he slipped away quietly, and then went outside of the cave. He saw many cats who nodded a short greeting to him, and he returned their greetings. When he left the cave, he thought, Well, I need to get some fresh-kill for them. Might as well get some fresh air too. He flexed his muscles and then sprinted toward a rabbit, all detected with his nose. He saw the creature, and quickly chased it, and then killed it. He then hid it in some bushes, scraping what earth there was over it, and then went and saw a hawk screeching overhead. He tensed, ready to run if he had to. The hawk had seen him, and it looked like it was about to dive for him. A gray-and-white she-cat swiftly emerged from behind some rocks nearby and leapt high into the air to rake the hawk with her claws. When she had landed, Willow scrabbled to his paws and meowed, "Who are you? Thank you for saving my life." The she-cat meowed, "We're not done with that bird. Look!" The hawk wheeled toward the two cats, and it looked angry. It came straight for the two cats, but a black shape flew toward them, and distracted the hawk for a moment. It was Night, and the black she-cat hissed at the hawk and slashed at the hawk. Darkie came out of the cave too, and together, the four cats brought the hawk down.

The gray-and-white she-cat meowed, "Well, the hawk's down. So I can tell you my name. My name is Mossfrost, and these" she signaled with her tail to three kits who came after her, "are my kits." Darkie tensed and meowed, "I'm Darkie, and that's Night." He was about to introduce Willow to her, when the tom mewed, "I'm Willow. Nice to meet you." Mossfrost dipped her head and meowed, "You're rogues, no?" The three cats nodded. Mossfrost meowed, "I was once a Clan cat. I was the deputy of a faraway Clan known as LightClan. That Clan has been destroyed by sickness, so I came with my kits, Foxkit, Owlkit, and Jaykit, to here." Night asked suddenly, "Clan cats? Where are you from?" Mossfrost mewed, "We are very far from where I came from." She continued, "Where do you all come from, and to where are you bound?" Darkie meowed, "Well, we came from the large lake over there," he pointed in the direction from which they came from, "and we intend to go over these mountains." Mossfrost meowed, "May I come with you? I wish to raise my kits in relative safety, and my Clan always used to say, ‘There's safety in numbers’. So can I please join you?" Darkie looked at her uncertainly, and mewed, "I don't know..." Willow interrupted and meowed, "Well, I think it's great!" Night looked at the she-cat and her kits and then meowed, "Well, if your kits can walk far, you could join us." Owlkit, a fluffy brown tom, mewed, "I'm strong!" His sister, Foxkit, exclaimed, "I'm stronger than mama!" Jaykit, the youngest of the three kits, boasted, "I think I could beat ALL of them!" The mother of the kits smiled and meowed, "Well?" Darkie nodded, uncertainty still in his eyes, while Willow purred with pleasure. Night nodded and mewed, "Well, then, join us."

Chapter 4

Darkie began to think that his white lie had made the journey more difficult for their entire small group. He could have just told the truth to Night, and then to Mossfrost and her kits, but he couldn't bring himself to do that. After all, he had run away from his Clan and his own mother. He brushed his thoughts aside and watched with pleasure at his friend, Night, playing with the kits. They had traveled hard and fast during the last few moons, and they had seen many sights. The greatest of them was a huge cave with an entrance that seemed to stretch like a large mouth.

When everyone was falling asleep, Darkie crept to the Moonstone, and sent up a prayer to StarClan. He thought, StarClan! Please let me meet you! I know what I did was wrong, but I wanted to protect Nightclaw... He sighed and touched his nose to the cold stone and closed his eyes, begging for sleep to overtake him. When he woke up, it was in a place where he had never seen before. He told himself, That's the Fourtrees that the elders were talking about... That’s when he saw cats starting to emerge from the shadows. He recognized one particular cat. It was Raventalon, Nightclaw’s brother. The dark gray warrior greeted him and meowed, "Darkfur. It has been a while." Darkie hadn't heard his real name being used in a while, so he didn't answer for a while. When he did, he meowed, "Raventalon... did Nightclaw really kill you?" It was a blunt question, but he wanted it to be off his chest right there and then. Raventalon, Nightclaw's brother, meowed, "No. My sister didn't kill any cat. The only life that she ever harmed in defense of her Clan was the dog that claimed her memory." Darkie meowed, "What will happen?" Raventalon meowed, "That is for you to figure out for yourself, Darkfur. Farewell." Darkie woke up, sunlight streaming from the open ceiling. Night, Willow, Mossfrost, and Mossfrost's kits were starting to stir. The dark brown tabby tom sighed and then went outside, pondering what Raventalon had said.

Night woke up, sunlight streaming into her face. The black she-cat meowed, "Wait... I think... I think I know this place too! But how? Why?" Darkie tensed, sensing trouble. Willow gave a large yawn and mewed, "What's going on?" Darkie and Night meowed, "It's nothing." Willow shrugged, and then meowed, "I'm going hunting." Night and Darkie also went hunting, each catching some rabbits in the process. Mossfrost and her kits came out of the cave to get some fresh air, while Willow came, dragging a large eagle behind him. He meowed, "I've gone to the moorland that's just over this hill, and I saw a lot of rabbits and shrews running around. But I also saw this," he pushed the eagle forward proudly, "and I couldn't help but to try and catch it. It took me a while, but I got the job done!" Night mewed, "Thank you." Mossfrost meowed, "The kits will love it!" Darkie dipped his head in acknowledgement, and then all four started eating. When they were finished, Darkie remarked, "This cave seems a bit unique. I wonder what that stone in the center could be made of." Night shrugged and mewed, "Shouldn't we move on?" Willow and Mossfrost nodded. Her kits were too busy eating. Darkie meowed, "Where should we go?" Night immediately mewed, "More east. We'll follow the rising sun." Darkie started to object, but the nodding by the other cats made him keep his mouth shut. He mewed, "All right then." They started to move again, and they made a lot of progress.

A moon passed, and they approached a gorge. They could see cats going about, so they perked their ears up, looking for any hostility there. A cat appeared in front of them, hissing, "Who are you? Identify yourself!" Night backed off, her tail fluffing up. She meowed, "I'm Night, that's Darkie, and that's Mossfrost, with her kits, Owlkit, Foxkit, and Jaykit." The cat who had met them meowed to Mossfrost, "Are you part of a Clan?" The she-cat mewed, "I was, but not anymore. My whole Clan died out, because of disease." The dark tom meowed, "I'm Singedfur. Nice to meet you, Mossfrost." The she-cat meowed, "And I also." Singedfur meowed, "But, you're traveling in the company of rogues?" Mossfrost replied, "I became a rogue myself when I was forced to flee my dying Clan with my kits." Singedfur meowed sympathetically, "Well, I'm glad you're here. Come with me. I'll take you all to Whitestar, the leader of SkyClan." Darkie meowed, astounded, "SkyClan?" He had heard of the tree-jumping Clan from his mother in stories, but he had never wondered if the Clan had actually existed. Night meowed, "That's an odd name." Willow muttered, "I'm just hoping we don't have to stay here long either." Singedfur took the traveling cats to the SkyClan camp, where a white tom was waiting for them. The tom meowed, "Singedfur, who are these cats?" The dark brown tom told his leader what had happened. Whitestar frowned, and then meowed, "And you're letting these... rogues... to stay here?" Singedfur meowed, "Yes, because I think we should be nice to all the cats around here. Isn't that what the warrior code told us to do?" Whitestar meowed, "Very well, they may stay."

Night, Willow, Mossfrost and her kits, and Darkie were led to a place near the entrance of the camp. There was an immense bush, where shelter and shade from the sun was more than adequate. Darkie mewed, "All right, thank you, Singedfur. Th... we won't ever forget this." He had almost said 'ThunderClan', but didn't. Night nodded and mewed, "And we also thank you for letting us remain here. The kits may have died if it weren't for your generosity." She dipped her head in respect. Singedfur meowed, "No, it's not me. You have our leader to thank." Mossfrost settled into the comfortable environment of the nursery, her three kits nestling into her warm fur for comfort. Night and Darkie, along with Willow, decided to settle under the shade of a large elderberry bush.

Darkie meowed, "Let's go hunting. If we bring back a lot of prey, they may let us stay a bit longer than what they would have normally allowed. Mossfrost looks very comfortable." Night mewed softly, "She looks like she's at home." Darkie mewed, apprehensive, "Well, it may be because she used to be a Clan cat once." Willow cut in, meowing, "Well, let's go then! The prey won't come begging to us!" The two cats agreed. After a successful hunt, the cats came back to the camp, and saw that the cats in the clearing looked a bit agitated. Night immediately asked, "What's wrong?" A black tom called out, "Another rat attack! Good thing they missed the nursery cave!" A brown tabby tom called out, "Don't you worry a thing, Night! We of SkyClan will take care of this!" Mossfrost woke up to the sound of rats scurrying past. She jolted upright, and gathered her kits to herself using her tail. She gave a low growl that halted the rats' advance.

Whitestar meowed, as the injured and the dead were being treated, to the beleaguered and weary cats who had come from the lake, "I'm sorry, but this Clan isn't safe anymore. We may have to somehow contact the clan called ThunderClan soon, so I think it's better that you leave now." Darkie started to protest, but his friend and mate, Night, meowed, dipping her head in respect and acknowledgement, "Thank you for letting us stay. We appreciate this." Mossfrost whispered, "Thank you. My kits are content, thanks to your Clan." Willow added, "Without us staying here, I think we would have died of boredom and hunger faster than we could say 'rat'." Whitestar gave a shudder and meowed, "Please, don't mention 'rat'." Night meowed, "I'm sorry..." Singedfur meowed, "I will escort you to the border myself."

Night, flanked by Darkie and Willow, and followed in the rear by Mossfrost and her kits, left the border of SkyClan toward moonrise. She stopped at the start of a small grove of trees, and then looked at the moon. She meowed, in wonder, "The moon looks so beautiful tonight..." Willow commented, "It's a full moon tonight, isn't that right?" Darkie winced at the mention of the full moon, but didn't let the others see it. Night fell asleep, and dreamed. Night was in a dark forest, where the moon did not shine. She meowed to herself, "Where is this?" A cat came out of the shadows, a dark tabby tom, who approached the black she-cat with ambition in his amber eyes. Night backed away, unsheathing her claws, "W...who are you?" The dark tabby growled in a low voice, "I am known as Tigerstar. I see that you're strong. I need cats like you." Night was confused, and was about to say something, when she was whisked away by a blur of white. "What do you think you were doing, Nightclaw? Why were you with Tigerstar?" Night heard the white tom ask her, and she bristled at the name "Nightclaw". She hissed, "That's not my name! My name is Night, and I'm a rogue!" The white tom meowed, "I know that Darkfur was upset when he told you your name was Night. You see, you are Nightclaw, the daughter of..." His voice was drowned out by a roar, and the black she-cat woke up, sweat trickling down her back.

Darkie woke up, wondering where his friend, Night, had gone. He sighed and meowed to himself, "I hope she's okay..." Night stayed stock-still at the top of a cliff. She recalled the dream and shuddered. She wondered, What if that cat was right? What if Darkie had lied to me? Darkie looked around, after waking up a little bit after, and saw Night on top of a cliff. He called out, anxious, "Night?" His friend turned around and focused her blue gaze on him. She meowed, "I don't know anything anymore. What is this Clan nonsense anyway?" Darkie stiffened and meowed, "What? What Clan thing?" Night meowed, "Come here and I'll tell you. However, you should know better than me."

After Night had told him about the dream she had had last night, Darkie's vision became blurry. His legs felt like jelly, and so sat down heavily. He meowed finally, "Night... If I told you the truth, it will hurt more than help..." Night meowed, "Well, I'd like to know what really happened." Darkie sighed and meowed, looking at the still-full moon, "Exactly three moons ago to this date, we left ThunderClan, Night." Night meowed, "Say what?" Darkie meowed, "...And this is what happened..."

Night wasn't listening to the story at all. Inside of her, she was seeing a flashback of events that she had experienced before. "Darkkit," Rainstar was saying, "You have reached your sixth moon, and so you are ready to become an apprentice. From this day forth, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Darkpaw." The ThunderClan leader looked around the camp, catching a tom's eyes. Rainstar meowed, "Owltalon, you will mentor Darkpaw. You have taught Springtail and Icyleaf well, and I hope you teach him well."

She was seeing her apprenticeship now. Rainstar continued, after apprentice and mentor had touched noses with each other, "Nightkit, you have reached your sixth moon as well, and so you are ready to become an apprentice. From this day forth, until you have received your warrior name, you shall be known as Nightpaw." Rainstar looked around once more. She found the cat she had been looking for, it seemed to her, as the leader of ThunderClan told the Clan, "Asheyes, you will be mentor to Nightpaw. You have learned well from me, and so I hope that you pass on those skills I have taught you to your apprentice." Asheyes came up to Nightpaw, and she found herself touching noses with her new mentor. Darkie was saying, "After you became an apprentice, you trained hard alongside me. We were one of the best ThunderClan apprentices of the day." Night gave an absentminded nod and went back to her thoughts, which were very confusing.

The scene had changed. Rainstar meowed, "Because the pointless battle between ThunderClan and WindClan has been thwarted thanks to two apprentices, Nightpaw and Darkpaw, I have decided that they are ready to become warriors. Owltalon and Asheyes, what have you to say?" Nightpaw trembled under the scrutinizing gaze of her mentor for a while, and then Asheyes reported, "I say that Nightpaw is more than ready to become a warrior." Rainstar meowed, "What say you, Owltalon?" The dark gray tom meowed immediately, "Darkpaw has grown more responsible and he's more than ready." Rainstar nodded in satisfaction. She meowed, "Then Nightpaw and Darkpaw, step forward." Darkie meowed, concerned, "Are you all right, Night?" The black she-cat gave a small nod and turned back around. Darkie sighed and continued from where he had left off: "As I was saying, we had stopped the two Clans, WindClan and ThunderClan, from fighting..."

Rainstar meowed, "Darkpaw, do you swear to uphold the warrior code and to protect the Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Nightpaw saw her friend call out strongly, "I do." Rainstar continued, pride in her eyes, "Then, by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forth, you shall be known as Darkfur. StarClan honors your responsiveness and loyalty, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." There was a chanting of cats, "Darkfur, Darkfur, Darkfur!" Rainstar continued, "Nightpaw, do you swear to uphold the warrior code and to protect the Clan, even at the cost of your life?" Night heard herself meow, "I do." The gray she-cat, who was the leader of ThunderClan, meowed, "Then, by the power of StarClan, I give you your warrior name. From this day forth, you shall be known as Nightclaw. StarClan honors your loyalty and sincerity, and we welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan." Another chanting ensued, "Nightclaw, Nightclaw, Nightclaw!"

Darkie cocked his head and meowed, "Are you listening?" Night snapped out of her daydream-like state and meowed, "Sorry... But, I think I know who I was before all this happened." Darkie smiled sadly and meowed, "I knew you would find out sooner or later. I always wanted it to be that you never did... ThunderClan has truly betrayed your trust... Rainstar may have used the quality of loyalty in your warrior ceremony, but Rainstar herself betrayed your trust. None of the so-called friends and Clanmates of ThunderClan stopped you from leaving. They didn't even twitch a tail when Rainstar declared you outcast. We can blame all of this to ThunderClan. To Rainstar, especially," he added. Darkie watched for Night's response. Night meowed, "I wish I was truly born as a rogue, Darkie... no, Darkfur. Right now, I just want revenge against the cats who have wronged me, namely, ThunderClan. Also," Night added, "my name is Nightclaw." Darkfur gave a small nod.

Willow and Mossfrost looked at each other, confused. Willow asked the queen quietly, "Have you seen Night and Darkie?" Mossfrost shook her head. She meowed, "Did you?" Willow shook his head sadly. Foxkit squeaked suddenly, to break the silence, "Intruders!" Willow immediately unsheathed his claws, his hackles rising. Mossfrost looked around wildly while gathering her kits. Jaykit and Owlkit let out mrrows of laughter. Willow blinked, "What?" Foxkit meowed, his voice trilling with laughter, "Silly Willow! We are playing!" Mossfrost sighed.____________This is how much I have right now. Hope I did some things right.

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